State Legislative Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Telangana are, no doubt, far away –three years time is there from now, and many developments can be expected within this period. The ruling TRS in the State, which rode to power on the separate Telangana sentiment, might think it can do wonders within this time-frame and win the support of the masses, and it would not be difficult for it to get elected for the second time.
There are, however, some sections of TRS sympathizers and supporters, who strongly feel that the ruling party at the Center, the BJP is hell bent upon forming it’s Government in the State by hook or crook, and it had already started implementing it’s agenda in this direction with alacrity and in a well-planned manner; and hence the TRS party and the Government should get ready to effectively counter the BJP strategy. These sections are of the opinion that there are many tasks before the Government which should be fulfilled to win the support of the people.
For one thing, as part of it’s grand strategy, the BJP has unleashed its two-pronged campaign, firstly to make the people believe that its Government at the Center has been doing quite a lot and releasing huge funds for the development of the State, and secondly to highlight that the TRS Government was not functioning effectively and it was not even spending the funds provided by the Center and that the funds released by it were not reaching the people. Right from the BJP National president Amit Shah to every party leader, including the Central Ministers, are harping on these points during their visits to the State, and they are also making it clear that family parties cannot provide good governance and ensure development, and the BJP alone can provide people-friendly rule and ensuring development. The state BJP leaders are also indulging in campaign against the TRS government on various issues like Mallannasagar Project and implementation of Double Bed Room House Scheme.
The recent statement of Amit Shah at Suryapet that the Centre had given Rs.90,000 crore to Telangana during the past two years can be cited as an example of the BJP’s attempts even to mislead the people to make them believe that the party is really interested in their welfare and State’s development and the TRS Government was not even able to spend the funds provided by the Centre. The Telangana State Finance Minister Etela Rajender has, however, refuted Amit Shah’s contention and asserted that the Centre had given not more than Rs.36,000 crore during the past two years.
Again recently Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has alleged that the funds being given by the Centre are not reaching the people. These are only examples of the calculated campaign being carried on by the BJP and the Union Ministers. Ironically enough, none of the Telangana Ministers thought it fit to give a fitting reply to Kiren Rijiju, and this lapse on the part of the TRS Government might create an impression among the people that all is not well with the TRS Government and it was not able even to ensure that the funds provided by the Centre were spent properly and that some middlemen or politicians were swallowing the funds.
Staunch supporters of TRS feel that there was need on the part of not only the Government but also every TRS leader to first see that all the Government programmes and schemes are implemented effectively and sincerely, and then to forcefully counter the propaganda being carried on by the BJP on one hand and the opposition Congress and TDP on the other.
As the BJP leaders are repeatedly contending, it is the only alternative to the ruling TRS in the State, as things stand. The TRS leadership should also realize the fact that the BJP is sure to have an alliance with the TDP on the eve of the next elections, to achieve its goal of forming Government in the State. Keeping all these factors, it should be said that the TRS has many tasks before it—working sincerely and effectively to implement the programmes honestly to see that the fruits of the same reached the people; to fulfill the election promises; and to ensure corruption-free administration. (NSS )